


Road Trip

by Vrunka



Category: Naruto
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-10
Updated: 2019-04-10
Packaged: 2020-01-07 15:27:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18413444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vrunka/pseuds/Vrunka
Summary: It isn’t that Kakashi isn’t used to his friend’s overabundant enthusiasm, but seventeen hours on the road a day, trapped in a car with him and nothing else is a lot more than Kakashi had maybe considered at first.





	Road Trip

**Author's Note:**

> This piece was printed in the Eternal Rivals zine last year and I never actually remembered to post it lol better late than never right?

Everything is fantastic.

According to Gai, at least.

Everything is fantastic and perfect and wonderful. Every road sign is Marvelous. Every cactus is Glorious.

And it isn’t that Kakashi isn’t used to his friend’s overabundant enthusiasm, but seventeen hours on the road a day, trapped in a car with him and nothing else is a lot more than Kakashi had maybe considered at first. Something he should have realized was crossing everyone’s minds when they talked about taking this little trip from one end of the country to the other.

At first it isn’t so bad. The dogs eat up a lot of Kakashi’s attention, truth be told, and the radio works fine—though Gai keeps tuning it to god awful country music every opportunity he gets in the driver’s seat—and the air out on the backroads smells fresh and clean and...

And different.

And getting away from the responsibilities and stresses of their lives is nice. Once in a while.

But five days in and the radio kicks it and the transmission starts acting finnicky and suddenly Gai has gone into Nice Guy Mode.

Where everything is Perfect and Marvelous. And Wow they are having such a good time.

And wow, Kakashi really could strangle him sometimes.

Like now.

When the car is stalled and the dogs are whining and desert heat is rolling through.

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Gai assures him. “Someone will come along eventually.”

To which Kakashi has no answer because it’s been two hours already with no sign of life beyond the rolling, dusty hills and the occasional swooping bird. There’s oil staining his jeans and Gai’s hands from attempting to locate the issue in the motor.

Geniuses in their own right, but not with automobiles, apparently.

“It’ll be night soon,” Gai comments because he never actually shuts up, especially when he is cooped up in a hot car with little and less to do.

He could have brought a book. Kakashi was smart enough to. Though he’s been reading the same sentence over and over, hardly realizing that the heroine has ripped her skirt shorter to staunch the wound on the protagonist’s chest twelve times now.

His eye flicks up, from Gai to the window and back.

The heroine tears her skirt a thirteenth time; presses it to the leading man’s bloody wound.

Gai, unperturbed by Kakashi’s lack of response, continues: “They say the desert at night is lovely. We are lucky we get to see it.”

“I’m pretty sure only you would consider the car dying in the middle of a road trip lucky,” Kakashi drawls. Sharper edge to his words than he intends. The heat has him snappy. In the backseat the dogs shuffle and whine.

“Isn’t it, though? We are so often busy, we miss the little things.”

The little things.

Leave it to Gai to find the silver lining even in this.

Fourteen—and the pristine whiteness of the skirt is tarnished and spoiled in a metaphor that Kakashi only this time catches.

Gai’s hand rests on his knee.

Kakashi closes his book with a snap.

“I’m going to wait outside,” Kakashi says. “Maybe an airplane will see me on the roof.”

“A marvelous idea,” Gai says with such warmth Kakashi has to literally fight from flinching. “I’ll join you!”

“No. You stay here,” Kakashi says and Gai shrinks back. Leans against the window. Sulking.

A man his age, it should be ridiculous.

But Kakashi feels bad about it all the same.

“Fine,” he says. “Fine, fine, you win.” He pushes the book into the glove compartment. “But no more talking, okay? Alright?”

Gai’s grin is bright enough and wide enough to Rival the setting sun. Rival. Rival. The word has taken on a new meaning and Kakashi can’t say he doesn’t sort of appreciate that.

They clamber out of the car. The air in the gathering night is cooler, a nice distraction from the heat, a breeze off the mountains. A hint of salt Kakashi’s sensitive nose picks up on. Sea air.

The car itself is still warm with memories of the sun beating down on it for hours. Almost too hot against the back of Kakashi’s thighs as he hops onto the hood and leans against the windshield. Hands locked behind his head. Eyes closed in an attempt to get some rest from the stress of the day.

He can feel Gai doing the same beside him. Gai’s leg brushing against his own. Gai’s elbow catching against his shoulder.

Kakashi cracks his eye open enough to glance over only after it sounds like Gai has settled. Gai’s breathing even and deep and just barely there.

Framed by the setting sun and the mountains. His hair shiny and sleek and not a strand out of place. He’s staring at the sky with an inner peace Kakashi can only dream of having.

He seems to realize he is being watched and Kakashi doesn’t have time to look away. The moment freezes. Gai’s hand moves, touches Kakashi’s head, fingers curling in his hair. Gentle, gentle, Gai guides Kakashi’s head over to his shoulder. Gentle, gentle, he leans to press a kiss into Kakashi’s temple.

“What was that for?” Kakashi asks, voice caught somewhere in his chest. Squeezing from his throat because tender emotions like this always have him on-edge. He’s not used to the way they off-balance him so. He is not comfortable without the complete control.

Gai smiles. Kakashi can feel the shift against his skin. “You said no talking.”

“Well I...it’s fine, Gai, I kind of like your talking.”

It earns him a chuckle. Gai’s fingers moving through his hair in a way that Kakashi will not think of as petting.

“It just seemed like maybe you weren’t having a good time,” Gai says. “And I want you to know that I am having the Most Perfect Time of my life. I cannot think of anywhere I would rather be.”

The squeezing again, right under Kakashi’s jaw, fluttering at the top of his throat. “Oh. Right.” Kakashi closes his eyes, lets the smell of the distant sea and Gai’s skin—cheap rest stop soap and sweat—settle in his nose.

He glances up at the sky, the pastel pink of it, the orange of dying day. Gai’s profile, almost too close to really focus on. When it is the only thing Kakashi could focus on for the rest of his life. The bare honesty of the thought makes his squirm.

He shuts his eyes again against it.

“I mean,” he says, stubborn, “it hasn’t been all bad.”

And it hasn’t been.

It’s honestly been somewhat fantastic.

Everything is Fantastic.


End file.
